Richard Smith said:
For me a large part of the fun is in planning and building the RR
Ken Brunt said:These two gentlemen have summed up my feelings.
Like any hobby it's meant to be relaxing
Ken Brunt said:
Keeping a photo journal of your progress helps too. Looking back to the beginnings and seeing how's it's evolved over the years can bring some satisfaction.And like Bruce mentioned you get a chance to create some great friendships along the way. That’s what I find to be the most enjoyable aspect of the hobby.
That’s it exactly
I happened upon some photos of my yard 10 years ago before the railroad was even started. I can’t believe how much we have accomplished in that time. They even inspired me to do something about my deliverance back yard this spring. That opens a huge area for railroad expansion. The personal satisfaction I get from enjoying what has grown from nothing but overgrown and neglected space to an attractive (to me anyway) railroad is one of the largest benefits.
Friendships made in this hobby are also of great value to me, the conversations in thse forums, off-line on email and at gatherings like ECLSTS & The Invasion are the high points of my days and years.
The railroad is totally worth it. Aside from the rain (i hate getting wet) i run in everything. I enjoy plowing snow. I like to run at night. I run in the wind, cold snow. I have to agree that you have to have a layout hat isn’t boring. But for some folks that’s sittin’ in the shade watchin’ themm go round. For others it’s gettin down an dirty with the full on ops. I fall somewhere in the middle. My layout is a loop, but it has operations built in as well. So when fiends come over or i am doin yard work, I can let a train run round. But when train friends come over we set out the cars and go to work.
I really think a railroad is what you make of it. If you hate doing yard work around it elevate it or concrete it. If you don’t like to clean track go battery. If you live in an area with predominatly craptastic weather, either get wet/cold/sun burnt, put the railroad inside, build a roof over it, or i guess move somewhere else.
When the weather is particularly horrid though, i have an HO layout that i tinker with. But, don’t get rid of it. If it is too much for ya make it smaller. The weather will come around.
Terry
Looks like it’s all a matter of perspective. Construction, locos, structures, operations, even the gardening aspect appeal to different people. I think the key word is “finished”. If you ever feel like your railroad is finished, you better be into the operations, or you will find yourself quickly becoming bored. I’m sure I will never actually be finished, although budget and time constraints will certainly keep things at a slow pace. Fortunately space will never be an issue.
My brother-in-law has a relatively small back yard in the city. His hobby is landscape gardening. He had a beautifully laid out yard many years ago. But it changes every year, and I know it will never be finished. When he completes a project he sits out back and starts thinking of what project he will start next.
Most of my free time comes after around 9 pm at night. I have added landscape lights to 3 dozen of the structures, so there is a glow to the village at night. I may run a train, but often I just sit on the bench and think about the next project. The buildings are not fixed, so I also like to move them around to create new scenes. So even though the track stays, the Village itself will never be “finished”. (Well, at least until I am… then it will likely be sold off at some estate sale to the highest bidder. 
Paul
I had a boat and loved to go fishing whenever I could. My average year was putting 50 hours running time on the engines. That’s 50 hours out of a possible 8760 hours a year. I have quit fishing and sold the boat. I probably average 20 hours a week working on my railroad. Whether it is building, repairing or running trains. That is around 1500 hours a year. The total cost for my railroad is less than 10% of what my boating costs were when you consider the cost of the boat, storage, dockage, maintenance, fuel, insurance and regristration. I can honestly say I enjoy the railroad much more than I ever did boating and fishing. I still fish occasionally but it is from the beach, not in a boat, and only when my grandchildren visit and we are not running trains.
This hobby has to be one of the best to chose that anyone can enjoy well into their 80’s. Can’t say the same for golf, but I never liked the game anyway.
Just sit back and enjoy every aspect of garden railroading.
John
It has to do with what stirrs your interest. For example, I have friends who collect guns. For me, a gun would be a huge responsibility, and I wouldn’t derive much enjoyment from having it, so for me, it’s not worth it. They go shooting and hunting, and enjoy their guns, so for them, it is. Some of them have nice gardens, others don’t. I’d like to have a garden, preferably with a train in it.
I have only been in the hobby for about 2 1/2 years… and my first garden and railway is not yet complete.
I want my railroad to be both interesting to the casual observer and to the seasoned modeler so it is a challenge for me to build in automatic operations for those days we have non-modeler guests over and still provide the opportunity for ‘operations’ and realistic scenes and dioramas. The creation of much of which, is or has been beyond my currently limited modeling skills. So I get as much or more enjoyment from the creationand recreation of the railway as the operation.
I will get the railway and the garden to that point without contracting it out to others…just ‘cause I am a stubborn ol’ fart!!
And it will never be done!!! There is always a new scene, car, industry, engine, or technology to be mastered!!!
Mark